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Friday, February 10, 2017

Wanna pack heat in Farragut Town Hall?

Farragut Town Hall

Currently, under Tennessee law, a person may carry a firearm in a vehicle without a handgun carry permit. Upon exiting the car, a permit is required.

Generally, with a permit, entry into non-posted locations is legal in the state. Many government buildings, however, are posted. Among those is Farragut Town Hall and the library at Founders Park at Campbell Station. So if you have a permit, the law disarms you, and prevents you from providing for your own defense effectively!

When HB0363 bill was introduced in the Tennessee House by Rep. Jason Zachary at the beginning of February, I thought, "It's a good bill." But unless a companion bill is introduced in the Tennessee Senate, it is DOA.

Tennessee, like the U.S. Congress and most states, has a bicameral legislative body. This means a bill has to pass both house and senate before it can go to the governor for signature.

This week, February 8, Senate Bill 0653 was filed for introduction in the Senate, so now it is a real bill.

The bill, if passed, would require governmental entities to either remove their posting signs; or ante up the money and provide (some semblance) of security for those taxpayer owned facilities.

One amendment I would like to see added: where there are security checkpoints, citizens should be able to check their guns at the door.

Bill Text:

HOUSE BILL 363

By Zachary

SENATE BILL 653

By Niceley

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13, relative to the possession of firearms in certain places.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13, is amended by adding the following as a new section:Notwithstanding § 39-17-1309, § 39-17-1311, § 39-17-1359, or any other law that authorizes the posting of property, or otherwise prohibits the possession of a handgun by a handgun carry permit holder while within the prohibited area, it is lawful for a handgun carry permit holder to possess a handgun in a building or upon property operated by a state or local governmental entity, or agent or agency thereof, if:(1) The building or property does not have walk-through metal detectors and armed security guards located at all public entrances to the building or property; and(2) The handgun is being carried in a manner that causes the handgun to be concealed from ordinary observation.SECTION 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017, the public welfare requiring it.

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This bill will be worth getting behind when it comes up in any committee. At that time, phone calls and emails will be in order.